It appears a trio of national championship-winning Buckeyes will grace the cover of the upcoming EA Sports College Football 26 video game.
According to a report from On3, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day, safety Caleb Downs and sophomore wideout Jeremiah Smith flew out to the Rose Bowl for a photoshoot with EA Sports for the company’s next college football game, which will likely be released in mid-July.
That report seemed to be confirmed when pictures surfaced of the deluxe edition cover of the video game on social media showing the three Buckeyes standing in the Rose Bowl stands amongst a large group of players, coaches and mascots from other teams. Smith, wearing a scarlet jersey, is seen front and center alongside Alabama wideout Ryan Williams, while Downs, in the team’s white uniform, is standing a few rows back besides former Heisman Trophy-winning Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and Penn State head coach James Franklin.
Day is seen one row behind Downs in his usual gameday attire next to Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. Also pictured in the photoshoot are former Heisman Trophy-winning USC running back Reggie Bush, Penn State running back Nic Singleton, Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood, among many others.
This would mark the second straight season that Ohio State is represented on a EA Sports College Football deluxe cover. Last year’s cover — which was the first since the game returned from a 10-year hiatus — featured former Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins alongside a group that included 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter of Colorado, former Michigan running back Donovan Edwards and former Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, among others.
Per On3, EA Sports plans to release multiple covers of the game, perhaps opening the door for more Buckeye cameos. The game plans to have a coaches’ cover, where Day could make another appearance, and a legends cover that features Tebow and former Michigan quarterback and recently-fired Wolverines staffer Denard Robinson.
